By penning the ballad Waltzing Matilda and poems The Man From Snowy River and Clancy of the Overflow, Banjo is one of Australia’s most celebrated writers and was born near Orange on February 17, 1864.

To celebrate the birthday of Orange’s favourite son, Orange City Library and the Central Western Daily yesterday launched a writing competition as a tribute to Banjo Paterson.

Calling for entries in the 2009 Banjo Paterson Writing Awards, Central West Writers’ Centre coordinator Jasmine Vilder said she hoped the competition would encourage passionate writers to follow in his footsteps. Since it was established in 1991, Ms Vidler said the awards aimed to honour Banjo Paterson by fostering the creation of Australian prose, offer writers great prizes and the opportunity to get published. “We’re hoping the competition fosters more Australian content,” she said.

“We feel we’re a bit saturated by overseas writers these days. We’re hoping to encourage people to write and increase awareness about the importance of writing.”

The awards promote all forms of Australian writing and all writers.

The only requirement is there be Australian content - be it theme or style.

The four categories for entry are prose or short story, open poetry, bush poetry and the ABC Central West Radio Children’s Writing Awards for entrants aged 16 years and under.

Cash prizes up to $1000 will be awarded to the top three entries in each category.

The winning prose entry will be published in the Central Western Daily and winning entries will also be published online at the Central West Libraries website www.cwl.nsw.gov.au and the Central West Writers’ Centre website www.wordsoutwest.com.au.

Entry forms are available from Orange City Library, by phoning 6393 8120, by emailing library@orange.nsw.gov.au or online. The competition closes on Friday, April 17.